Corona disinfection: how does it work?
Corona disinfection with ultraviolet C light is a special technique for disinfecting air, water and surfaces. The energy of the UVC light stops the division of microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria. A virus is a microscopic particle consisting of hereditary material wrapped in a protein envelope. Viruses become biologically active only when they invade cells of living organisms. Viruses have no reproductive apparatus and have no metabolism of their own. They are completely dependent on host organisms. There is no conclusive definition to date, so viruses cannot be said to be alive.
The diameter of a virus particle is between 20 and 300 nanometers. A virus cannot be seen with a normal microscope. However, it can be seen with an electron microscope. An individual virus particle is also called a virion. Viruses are studied in virology, a part of medical microbiology.
There is much supporting scientific evidence from internationally respected institutions confirming that UV-C is suitable for stopping the growth of microorganisms. A virus is too small to be stopped by a HEPA filter, a – High Efficiency Particulate Air – filter.
Safely applicable
Highcare has been building high-quality cleanrooms for 25 years and has specialized in fine dust filtration and disinfection with UVC light. A lighting technique that should only be used safely in an area closed to mammals. UV-C light is dangerous when irradiated, damaging the retina in the eye as well as the surface of the skin. It accelerates the aging process of specific materials. It can and should be applied safely only if invisible and in an environment suitable for UVC. Installing UVC requires expert knowledge.
Fine filters such as HEPA do not stop viruses
For Corona disinfection or Norovirus control, filtering the air with HEPAs is not enough, it does not stop viruses. As visible in the image on this page, viruses are too small for this. UVC light disinfects.
Application UV-C
An environmentally friendly way to purify the air of viruses and bacteria.
Applied in:
– treatment rooms
– consulting rooms
– elevator rooms
– meeting rooms
– toilet rooms
– central hall or reception area
In larger spaces, we install technology in central air handling:
– clean rooms
– central air handling in utility buildings
– cruise ships
– airplanes
The advantages of disinfection with UV-C
- Environmentally friendly and organic
- Disinfects continuously (24 hours a day)
- Low operating costs
- Effective, Flexibly applicable
The principle of UVC disinfection
UV light or radiation has a shorter wavelength and is more energetic than visible light. It can be divided into UVA, UVB and UVC . UVA is the best known of the three and is used to trace fingerprints with shaving light. UVC light has a wavelength of 100 to 300 nm and is well absorbed by microorganisms. Corona disinfection; the energy of the UVC light disrupts DNA and prevents microorganisms such as Corona virus from dividing.
Why is UV-C radiation germicidal?
The disinfecting range of UVC light runs from 240 to 280 nm, the most effect is achieved at 260 nm. This course can be compared to the development of the absorption curve of DNA. The DNA molecule consists of four building blocks in a double helix. Adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine. If two thymins are next to each other, the UVC light binds them to each other instead of to the opposite base in the DNA molecule. Highcare supplies Corona disinfection systems with UVC lamps. They emit most of the photons at 254 nm so that the DNA is maximally disrupted. The higher the intensity (expressed in mJ/cm²) and the longer the irradiation time (seconds), the higher the UVC dose (mJ/cm²) and therefore the number of microorganisms that are damaged to the extent that they can no longer divide. Per virus species and bacteria, the intensity can differ.
The dose determines the degree of disinfection
In UV-C disinfection, the dose required for different types of microorganisms is known. We call this the lethal dose (LD). The correct composition of the lighting has a great influence on the result. Resistance does not occur with UVC light. By default, effectiveness is indicated by an LD90, which means 90% of the population is killed. Doubling the dose means 99% of the population is killed, tripling 99.9%, and so on.
Virus filter UV-C
Highcare provides the below technology to customer specification,
A. Virus filtration of air; suitable for public areas.
– Offices, retail, hospitality, elevator cabins, restrooms
– in central air handling units
B. Surface treatment; in an environment isolated from humans and animals.
Only to be used -without- the presence of humans or animals:
– sanitary areas such as toilets and bathrooms
– elevator cabins
– cabs
– ambulances
– areas to be disinfected
C. The operational classification in a clean room
Classification is influenced by precise interplay, UV-C is an additional tool here:
– the cleaning protocol of the room
– the behavior of the operators
– the contamination of the production process
– the temperature in the room
– the relative humidity
– the position of the blow-in socks under the ceiling. (flushing the room completely clean; flush)
– the location of the return slits (flush)
– the circulation rate of the air in the room
– the quality of the air filters
– the location of these filters
UV-C is a successful additional tool in this type of environment.